Current view: Text account
Site description (1994 baseline):
Site location and context
The island, c.7 km offshore in the Straits of Hormoz, is roughly circular and c.7 km across. Most of the shore is sand beach, but there are some rocky shores and low cliffs, and a small tidal creek system with saltmarsh vegetation just east of the main harbour. Inland are sandy plains with little vegetation other than a few scattered thorn trees, and bare volcanic hills rising to 235 m. There is one substantial fishing village and a few small settlements with small patches of irrigated cultivation and date gardens.
See boxes for key species. No proper surveys have been carried out. The island is probably an important staging and/or wintering area for shorebirds, gulls and terns, and figures are given below for a brief survey in May 1974.
Non-bird biodiversity: None known to BirdLife International.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
There is no legal protection and no information on threats.
Data-sheet compiled by Dr D. A. Scott, reviewed by Dept of Environment.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Hormoz island (Iran, Islamic Republic of). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/hormoz-island-iba-iran-islamic-republic-of on 06/12/2024.